Our Gemara on amud aleph tells us that there were seven gates in the Second Bais Hamikdash.  What is the symbolic significance of these seven gates?

Sefer Yetzira tells us that there are seven gates to the soul.  That is: two eyes, two ears, two nostrils and the mouth.  Shalah (Torah Shebiksav, Shoftim, Derekh Chayim) interprets the verse, “You shall place Judges and police by all your gates” (Devarim 16:18) as applying to these gates.  That is, one should be mindful of what he hears, sees, smells and ultimately says.  Maor Vashemesh (Shoftim) goes even further as to suggest that this is the real topic of the following verse in Devarim (17:8-9):

כִּ֣י יִפָּלֵא֩ מִמְּךָ֨ דָבָ֜ר לַמִּשְׁפָּ֗ט בֵּֽין־דָּ֨ם ׀ לְדָ֜ם בֵּֽין־דִּ֣ין לְדִ֗ין וּבֵ֥ין נֶ֙גַע֙ לָנֶ֔גַע דִּבְרֵ֥י רִיבֹ֖ת בִּשְׁעָרֶ֑יךָ וְקַמְתָּ֣ וְעָלִ֔יתָ אֶל־הַמָּק֔וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִבְחַ֛ר הַ' אֱלֹק֔יךָ בּֽוֹ. וּבָאתָ֗ אֶל־הַכֹּהֲנִים֙ הַלְוִיִּ֔ם וְאֶל־הַשֹּׁפֵ֔ט אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִהְיֶ֖ה בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֑ם וְדָרַשְׁתָּ֙ וְהִגִּ֣ידוּ לְךָ֔ אֵ֖ת דְּבַ֥ר הַמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃

If a case is too baffling for you to decide, be it a controversy over homicide, civil law, or assault—matters of dispute in your courts—you shall promptly repair to the place that your God יהוה will have chosen, and appear before the levitical priests, or the magistrate in charge at the time, and present your problem. They will inform you of the correct and just resolution.

Maor Vashemesh says that our intellect and heart can guide us in the correct understanding of the Torah.  It is deep within us to understand Torah. Yet, sometimes we become corrupted via various occlusions that come from sin.  This is the “conflict upon the gates” that the verse is talking about.  Our senses and sensuality have corrupted our ability to ascertain the truth.  (Another kind of bribe that blinds judgment?  See yesterday’s Psychology of the Daf.)  If one has difficulty comprehending Torah, it is because “kelipos” (shells) obstructing the pathway to comprehension and he must do teshuva first.  How can he be inspired to properly repent?  He must go to the sages and ask for guidance.

It comes out that the derash is exactly the opposite of the pashut peshat, (as often is the case!) One is not going to Cohen or sage to get guidance in practical halacha, but rather to receive inspiration and instruction on how to repent, so that he himself merits proper understanding of the Torah.

Translations Courtesy of Sefaria, except when, sometimes, I disagree with the translation

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